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WCI to close North Lakes golf course

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By LAURA CONE

THE SUN

Published: September 29, 2009

One of the three benchmark Sun City Center golf courses currently for sale by WCI will close Oct. 5. According to John Luper, the regional general manager of amenities for WCI, the company can no longer afford to maintain the North Lakes course. WCI recently emerged from bankruptcy protection.

"The 1984 agreement is a key issue," said Luper, adding that officials with WCI have asked the Community Association to release the company from two key elements of the agreement, the CA's right of first refusal and private membership requirements.

When the agreement between WCI and the SCC Community Association was drawn up in 1984, it made the Sandpiper, Caloosa Greens and North Lakes golf courses exclusive to SCC residents.

Luper said there has been some interest in the three golf courses, which have a combined asking price of $3.9 million.

"Our thing is we are actively looking to sell the three courses – that's our goal," Luper said. "The sooner that happens, the sooner you will have someone who maintains them and operates them. That's good for golfers and the community overall."

He would not speculate whether the Sandpiper or Caloosa Greens courses might be closed in the future.

"We are still trying to keep the value (of North Lakes) but not lose dollars," he said.

Lyn Reitz, the SCC CA association manager, said she thinks most of the members expected the North Lakes course would close. The members received official notification from WCI Sept. 26.

"There was that possibility of them closing the course because it was a financial drain on WCI," she said.

She said most North Lakes golfers will simply play at the other two courses.

"It was the lesser used of the three courses," she said. "It was older and needed upkeep."

Reitz said CA board of directors president Ed Barnes appointed people to two blue ribbon panels to research and discuss the North Lakes course. The members are still at work.

Barnes received a letter Sept. 24 from Richard Barber, WCI's vice president of business development, asking the CA to "agree to amend the 1984 agreement to release WCI as it presently relates to the North Lakes Course and the South Sandpiper course in all ways regarding the right of first refusal and private membership requirements."

Bob Black, a member of the CA board, said the letter did not get a warm response.

"The letter that came in said they are going to close the golf course but if we did away with the '84 agreement, they would open the golf course for this winter season only," Black said. "It has no value. It makes no sense."

Black said the board won't give up the agreement because it's their only protection.

Contrary to rumors, Black said many people are not opposed to opening the golf courses to the public.

"I'd love to see that," he said. "If someone came along and said to WCI, 'We want to buy the golf courses but the '84 agreement has to go off it,' we would say, 'OK, we will take it off,' but we want to make sure those golf courses stay open, well maintained and affordable."

Black said people understand SCC is not what it was 20 years ago, and are willing to change with the times.

"In 1984 the golf courses were full," Black said. "Today they are not full. We would open up in a heart beat if they had a buyer who would guarantee to keep them open."

Barnes has stated he will bring WCI's letter to the CA Board, but believes giving away the restrictions in the 1984 Agreement would only benefit WCI and still leave the North Lakes course closed.

Editor Laura Cone may be reached at lcone@mediageneral.com.

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